Notre Dame's Weis buyout may approach $19 million

May 24, 2013|By Brian Hamilton | Tribune reporter

Kansas coach Charlie Weis calls for a timeout during action against South Dakota State at Memorial Stadium. (SHANE KEYSER / McClatchy-Tribune)

Notre Dame's current and former football coaches cost it at least $3,142,923 for the 2011 football season, but it's the tab for the dismissal of ex-coach Charlie Weis that indeed may approach $19 million by the end.

Weis received another buyout payment of $2,054,744 as part of the separation agreement for his firing in 2009, bringing the total amount paid to the ousted Irish coach and current Kansas head coach to nearly $10.8 million, according to federal tax documents the school provided the Tribune on Thursday.

It is the second consecutive payment of $2,054,744 to Weis after the initial payment of $6,638,403 after his firing. The university is scheduled for "additional annual payments" through Dec. 2015, so four more installments of the same $2 million-plus figure would bring the total to $18,966,867.

Brian Kelly, meanwhile, earned a total of $1,088,179 from the school for a reporting period of July 2011 through June 2012, the documents show. That likely does not represent the total earnings for the coach that would lead Notre Dame to the national title game in January.

"The current head football coach is permitted to receive compensation from external sources with prior written approval from the University," the school noted, income from outlets such as shoe companies that would not have to be reported on the tax forms.

Kelly's base pay, according to the documents, was $672,608 with "bonus and incentive compensation" of $289,741. Other compensation and benefits brought the total to more than $1 million.

Notre Dame men's basketball coach Mike Brey earned a total of $1,407,509 according to the documents. That includes $687,509 in base salary, bonuses, "other reportable income," retirement and deferred money and non-tax benefits, plus $720,000 from Play by Play sports, which is now known as Notre Dame Sports Properties.

Irish women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw earned a total of $1,145,441, according to the form, with $900,441 in compensation from the school and $245,000 from Play by Play sports.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick earned 1,085,260 from the school, according to the latest forms.